Never in Her Favor
by Finannie
Summary: Annie Cresta's life has been a string of bad events. Will she ever find happiness?
1. Chapter 1

One – Introduction

The heaviest weights she ever lifted were the buckets of fish she carried from the sea to her grandmother's small shack on the beach. The farthest she ever ran was from that small shack to the school house in the middle of District Four.

She was always late.

Annie Cresta was no trained fighter. Growing up in a somewhat wealthy district that often produced Career tributes did not mean that she fit into that category. Annie was the daughter of a fisherman and his lovely wife. Both were dead. She didn't even remember them.

Annie's first real memory was of her brother, Ben, being reaped. She was 5. All she really knew about the Hunger Games was that almost nobody came home from them. Ben was only 13. He was tall for his age and naturally strong – a trait he must have gotten from their father. He was the strongest, smartest boy Annie knew. She was so sure that he would come home a Victor, bringing pride to the entire district.

He didn't last one day.

Annie's second real memory was watching her brother's head roll down a small hill, while his body crumpled to the ground.

Ever since then, it's just been Annie and her grandmother. Sweet, loving Grandma Cresta, who tried to shield Annie's eyes while her brother was being attacked. Sweet and sensitive Grandma Cresta, who fainted as soon as the older boy swung the sharp blade that would end Ben's life. Her hands fell away from Annie's eyes, allowing her to see the whole thing.

In the years to follow, Annie did a good job of keeping that memory stowed away somewhere deep and dark in her mind. She always kept herself busy, kept her mind on other things. She would wake up early and fish in the ocean. The fish that she caught were the main food source for Annie and her grandmother. Grandma Cresta was an unskilled woman. Annie's mother had been as well. In fact, very few women in District Four were trained in fishing or making nets, as those were considered men's jobs. Women were expected to raise children and keep a tidy home, so that's exactly what Grandma Cresta had done. When her son and daughter-in-law died and their two young children came to live with her, she found the only job that she was qualified to do: cleaning. She cleaned the grand houses in the Victor's Village. They were so large, and she was not very young, so she often came home late at night, exhausted. Still, her paycheck wasn't enough to cover more than the very basic household expenses, so Annie taught herself how to fish.

After a couple of hours fishing, Annie would clean up quickly as rush off to school. There she would learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. The school also taught a lot about the history of Panem, the history of District Four, and how to be a successful District Four wife.

When school ended, the wealthy children would go to their Hunger Games training. Annie would go back to the ocean to swim or fish until it was time to make dinner. She liked to always have dinner ready by the time her grandmother came home from her long day at work.

Annie was good at keeping her mind off of terrible things during the day. It was much harder to keep them away when she was asleep. She would often wake up from a nightmare in a cold sweat, shaking and crying silently. Was it her imagination or did the nightmare get worse, more vivid and horrible as the years passed?

Why had no one volunteered for Ben? Why had no one saved his life?


	2. Chapter 2

Two – Reaping

And why was no one volunteering now? When Candy Presley, the yellow-haired District Four escort, pulled out the slip of paper from the large crystal bowl and cheerfully called out "Annie Cresta," Annie had frozen, terrified. But still, she waited and expected someone, somewhere in the large crowd to volunteer immediately, just like every other year when one of the poor and untrained citizens was chosen.

No one spoke. In fact, someone behind Annie pushed her forward, towards the stage. All eyes were on her, waiting for her to move. She didn't. Not until the Peacekeeper in the white uniform took her by the elbow and forced her to the stage and up the stairs to stand by Candy.

With tears in her eyes, Annie looked out at the blurred crowd. Why would no one save the Cresta's? Was there some sort of plot against her family? Were they such a drain on the District's resources that there was a plan to just kill them off? If so, they were successful. Now only her grandmother would remain. Her sweet, loving, sensitive grandmother who was now weeping in the arms of a woman. One of their neighbors? Annie couldn't tell and didn't care.

"Now for the boys!" Candy said in her high-pitched, childish, and always gleeful voice. Annie watched as Candy withdrew a small slip of paper from the other crystal bowl. She smiled widely as she unfolded it, and read out "Xavier Hilliard," in the same cheerful tone she had used when calling Annie's name.

Annie knew Xavier. He was in some of her classes at school. Like her, Xavier was 16 years old. He was also not a trained fighter. He spent his time after school working with his family at their boat repair shop. Also like Annie, no one volunteered for Xavier.

Annie looked furiously at the "Careers" who always stood in the front of the crowd. They looked miserable, exhausted, and disappointed. She suddenly remembered about the horrible flu that had ripped through the training school like wildfire. They were all very sick, and there was no way any of them would volunteer for the Games this year.

Once Xavier joined them on the stage, Candy continued. "Congratulations to Annie and Xavier, this year's District Four tributes! On behalf on President Snow and the Capitol citizens, we wish you both the best of luck in the 70th annual Hunger Games!"

Annie blinked, allowing a couple of tears to roll down her cheeks. Luck? She obviously didn't have any of that. Her parents? Dead before she had a chance to meet them. Drowned in the sea after a boating accident. Ben? Dead, as well. Killed for entertainment in front of the entire nation. Her grandmother? As good as dead with no family remaining to take care of her. The Cresta family was cursed.

"And now to announce this year's mentors!" Annie looked at the small group of past victor's who were seated on the far side of the stage. District Four tributes usually have a good chance of returning as victors (at least compared to Districts 11 and 12, who have only had five combined). There are only four victors remaining today: Margaret Macy, Nathan Brando, Tiffany Pallas, and Finnick Odair. For some reason the victors tend to die young, despite living in luxury after returning from the Games. Even Mags, the oldest living tribute of at least 70 years old, has had some major health problems in the last few years. The other victors are all under 30, though Nathan and Tiffany look so haggard these days that you would think they were much older.

"Nathan Brando, winner of the 63rd Hunger Games will be mentor for tribute Xavier Hilliard." Candy said. This was no surprise. Nathan had been a mentor for the last four Hunger Games, along with Tiffany. Annie didn't think they'd been doing a very good job since none of their tributes had made it back.

Nathan stood and walked unsteadily to Xavier. There was always something off about him, though Annie couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. He wasn't a drunk. There were plenty of those in Four. Some people were convinced her was a Morphling, but he didn't have the carefree attitude or yellow skin usually attributed to them. He had no life in his eyes, no emotions registered on his face. He went through life almost as though her were dead but still had control of his body.

"Annie Cresta's mentor will be Finnick Odair, winner of the 70th Hunger Games. Because this is Mr. Odair's first year as mentor, he will be given guidance by Margaret Macy, winner of the 10th Hunger Games." Candy announced. Finnick stood and sauntered confidently across the stage, grinning brightly at the crowd as he did so. Margaret, Mags as she was known in the District, shuffled much more slowly behind him. They stopped, one of either side of Annie, facing the crowd.

Annie was surprised, but relieved about her mentors. Tiffany was most certainly a Morphling, always lost in her own world. As the Reaping had gone on right in front of her, she had taken no notice, choosing to intricately brand and rebraid her long, disheveled hair. She would have been no help to Annie or Xavier. At least Finnick was still in control of himself, as far as Annie could tell.

After a few parting words from Candy Presley, the District Four mayor, Mayor Maximus, took to the stage to address the citizens, and Annie and Xavier were led off the stage by Peacekeepers and their mentors. They were taken to the Justice Building and put into separate rooms. Their loved ones would be arriving soon, and they would have five minutes to say goodbye.

Once alone in the plush, overly decorated waiting room, Annie finally allowed herself to panic. She collapsed into an armchair, trembling. Five minutes. Only five minutes left to say goodbye to her grandmother – the one personal left in this world who loved her. Would this be the last time she would see her?

A couple of minutes late, the door opened and Grandma Cresta was ushered in. Annie leapt to her feet and stumbled over to her, sobbing. She wrapped her arms around the frail old woman, feeling her body shake along with hers.

They stayed like this for a long time. A Peacekeeper opened the door and announced that it was time for Annie to board the train. Her grandmother backed away, holding Annie's shoulders at arm's length. Here eyes were red, her cheeks streaked with tears. Annie was sure she looked the same.

"Take this," Grandma Cresta said, pulling something out of her dress pocket. "As your token." She took Annie's wrist and clasped a bracelet around it. It was a charm bracelet, with four small shells hanging off of it.

"Your father gave it to your mother," her grandmother explained, "Wear it, think of them, and remember your home. You'll come back, won't you?"

"I'll try, Grandma."

But Annie knew, and her Grandmother must know as well, that the odds were not in her favor.


End file.
